Review: Land Of Echo - Almost Music (Wah Wah 45s)

It's always worth repeating,
in the Land Of Echo, 'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week,  'Almost Music' is coming out this week.

This is Land Of Echo's debut album but when you're told it is the 'return of the' Rob Mac, he of Jumbonics, Gum Drop, Speeka, Matt Smooth & The Easy Rockers on many labels including Tru-Thoughts, Altered Vibes, Sonar Kollektiv and Wah Wah 45s.

 

So a like bit of a home coming on the label with a 9 new tracks of "altered disco, downtempo soul and experimental electonics aided by the synths and violins of Lucy Wilkins, having herself played with Massive Attack, Radiohead and Roxy Music.

The centrepiece track 'Freedom In Our Rhythm Parts 1 + 2' is Massive Attack-eques a go-go so that's a winner on its own!

The vocals are provided another returnee from a career break, Sheffield's Kathy Diamond (Morgan Geist, Hercules & The Love Affair, Soul Clap and many more) and Tokyo born/London based Ayana Homma (Tokyo Riddem Band & Sound Anthropology).  And whilst we're at it, Angus 'yes i'm related' Mac in on bass and if you can't dance to the opening track, 'What We Want' with the groovy bassline, disco synths and string and sing-a-long vocals; there's no hope for you.

There's definitely some hang-over from the 'Hi-Falutin' Gum Drop album, which is a good thing and you can bet that they're already lining up outside Wah Wah 45s North London HQ for the remix options (Kay Suzuki on a dub? A Kelley Polar 'symphonic-disco' rewerk? etc) but that's a no-go for now as there's some real highlights here like 'Lean Into Your Own Breath', 'Never To Never' (I'll forgive the "bah, bahs"), 'Don't Talk (Just Dance)' and 'I Want'.

So the Land of Echo is on repeat in the office - don't miss this one.

BUY LINK: Almost Music | Land Of Echo

Artist:Land Of Echo

Title:  Almost Music

Release date: 15th August, 2025

Label : Wah Wah 45s

Catalog Number : WAHLP034

Format: Vinyl /Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Yoshi Horino, M-Scape and Werner Niedermeier - Fall EP (Yung Dumb)

Afro-futuristica J-House from St. John's Newfoundland! Surely not?

The eastern Canadian label get some Trans-Canadian - Japan business with Tokyo-based producers Yoshi Horino, M-Scape and Werner Niedermeier on the "rhythmic 2-step percussion, growling deep basslines, and ethereal synths with swinging vocals" 

As the label's 23rd release 'Fall' is a collaborative two track EP, 'Fall' and 'Don't You' that's got some elements of classic Japanese deep house business from one side of the pond to the other. 

'Don't You' in particualar is a mix of synth vs. Lonnie Listron Smith cosmic jazz-funk a la Ron Trent vs. Bugge Wesseltoft.

BUY LINK: https://yungdumbrecords.bandcamp.com/

Artist: Yoshi Horino, M-Scape and Werner Niedermeier

Title: Fall

Release date: 15th August, 2025

Label : Yung Dumb

Catalog Number : YD023 

Format: Digital / Bandcamp  

Reviw: Böhm - People Communicate EP (Morris Audio)

Laurent Garnier is still a fan and here's another EP that shows us why as Böhm communicates with people!

It's been a little while since we got on the Chicago Loop via Citi Beat and the 'This Is Citi Beat' EP (see review HERE) and regular readers will know that any track called 'Train Ride' is going to get our attention in the YATM office!

But 'Crystal 727' goes one further in the Techy-old skool house and there's a bit of a New Order bass, a bit Italo keys and some very old skool jazz-funk whistle blowing that is just magic!  Or is that a train guard blowing his whistle? 

The other two tracks, being 'Country' and the title track he just as much fun and the perfect introduction to Böhm.

PS. You might have guessed from the oranje artwork, Böhm is Dutch.

 

BUY LINK: https://www.junodownload.com/products/bohm-people-communicate-ep/7190689-02/

Artist: Böhm 

Title: People Communicate EP
Release date: 15th August, 2025
Label :Morris Audio 
Catalog Number: MA133
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: La Felix - Bassline Jump EP (The Disco Express)

The Disco Express 'Summer Heatwave' Season continues with La Felix drivin' the  disco train.

 

Following on from he 'Best Of 2025' releases (review review HERE) it's hard to keep up with TDE tribe, especially as their can't be many Korean born, New Zealand-based nu-Disco producers like La Felix.

Ths six track EP, including long and short versions of a DE SOFFER remix of a track called 'Hot' (and it is, almost melts itself), has got rythmn and is, would you believe it, HOT!  

'Bassline Jump', 'Do It Like That', 'Locked In' and 'Just Need Your Love Now' are all quality disco tracks that'll get the party started with 70s reverance to the limit; 'Locked In' is rediculously good.

.

As they say, this is ready for the heatwave and all you We Out Here Festival attendees demand to dance to this today.

BUY LINK: https://thediscoexpress.bandcamp.com/album/bassline-jump-ep

Artist: La Felix

Title:  Bassline Jump EP 
Release date: 15th August, 2025
Label : The Disco Express
Catalog Number : TBA
Format:  Digital / Streaming / Bandcamp

Review: Ivdf - Ivdf (Bridge The Gap)

International supergroup that sounds like Acoustic Ladyland in no bad thing in 2025 and they rock too!

A self-titled EP with saxophonist Alex Hitchcock (London, UK), pianist and synth/soundscapes Maria Chiara Argirò, double bassist Michelangelo Scandroglio (Italy) and drummer Myele Manzanza (Wellington, New Zealand).

This is  a busy EP, as track like 'Jorge's Vision'. "a polyrhythmic whirlwind" that's a tribute to Jorge Vistel, the  Cuban jazz trumpeter, brother of jazz saxophonist Maikel Vistel versus 'the Anchor', descibed by Myele as “Something that could be as much at home at an avant-garde performance at Cafe Oto as it could be in a Madlib beat tape.”.

Indeed, 'The Anchor' is something that boarders a dub of a noir jazz TV theme that could have been done by an extended The Bad Plus.

This is deep and a far cry from 'City Of Atlantis', my favourite track by Myele Manzanza featuring Charlie K & Ladi6 but all good stuff and it can't be a co-incidence it was at this time last year that corto.alto made a their name at We Out Here festival: you heard it here first?

Artist:Ivdf

Title:  Ivdf EP

Release date: 15th August, 2025

Label : Bridge The Gap

Catalog Number : TBC

Format: Digital  

Review: SHOLTO - Persephone's Perception (DeepMatter Records)

On the same day that Sholto takes to he Main Stage at Gilles Peterson's We Out Here Festival, here's a sneak preview of the forthcoming album coming out later this year.

Nearly two years since ' SHOLTO's double album, 'Letting Go Of Forever' (see review HERE), which instantly became a Gilles Peterson favourite with a Worldwide FM live session, he's back with a single from the forthcoming album 'The Siren'.

Fans will know that the SHOLTO studio in Hackney is where the spirits of David Axelrod and Lalo Schrifin with the Cinemation Orchestra with "the Australian revisonists" Surprise Chef, The Pro-teens, Karate Boogaloo supporting: how good does that sound?

Don't forget, you can go for a swim at the festival in The Sanctuary area to reinact the artwork!

We Out Here Festival: Thursday Main Stage 

13:00 - 15:00Tina Edwards

15:00 - 16:00Sholto

16:40 - 17:40Hermeto Pascoal

18:20 - 19:20Florence Adooni

20:00 - 21:00Horace Andy & The Dub Asante Band

21:45 - 22:50Noname

Artist: SHOLTO

Title: Persephone's Perception

Release date: 14th November, 2025

Label :  Deep Matter Records

Catalog Number :TBC

Format: Digital / Bandcamp 

Review: Catpack - Meowmixes (Tru-Thoughts Recordings)

Tru-Thoughts are the new Stones Throw?

Following their celebrated self-titled debut and its accompanying remixes, LA-based trio, Catpack, comprised of Amber Navran (Moonchild), Jacob Mann, and Phil Beaudreau, return with ‘Meowmixes’, a fresh spin on their own material, with each member offering a personal reinterpretation of a track from the record.

The tracks are short jazz-funk hip-hop beats reminiscent of early Flying Lotus with Dilla/Madlib going on with touches of Daedelus' electric 1930s swing fixation.

In short it's purr-fect for an fans of summer Pusheen. 

BUY LINK: Music | Tru Thoughts

 

Artist: Catpack

Title:  Meowmixes 

Release date: 14th August, 2025 

Label : Tru-Thoughts

Catalog Number : TRUDD662

Format : Digital  / Bandcamp 

Review: James Kumo - Motivate Your Mind EP (Freerange Records)

'Motivate Your Mind'.. "and your ass will follow" as wise men might have said in the world of 1970s Funkadelic - they'd probably say the same thing today.

Struck as we are by San Francisco's Coflo  and his Who The Frequency EP' (coming out on Freerange Records soon but we've got to sort this one out first,

Kumo is a DJ/producer based in Manchester and runs his own Wayout Records that went 'Space Funk' mad in 2021 with releases that featured Byron The Aquarius (as last seen on Igor Jadranin's 'Contemporary Outdoors' -see review HERE).

No need for BTA here as 'Deep Inside' is the jazzy keys dub banger that'll take the rest of the summer on the wall ('Band' or otherwise)  It's not hard to imagine Ron 'Lift Off' Trent on this one in the Bowl at We Out Here Festival as it's getting late; or early morning for that matter. 

You don't have to have a Reiki Master's fire head massage to 'Motivate Your Mind', the title track that's also on the dubby side but take's more influence from Lonnie Liston Smith's expanded mind of Cosmic Echoes. 

But the big tune, is the opener 'Loosen Up' which has the best elements of the other two tracks with "rolling conga" and some big strings in support.

Jamie Odell (Jimpster) at Freerange is on such a roll at the moment, as this falls between the Coflo EP (as mentioned above) and Black Loops, Milton Jackson & Brian Kage's 'Fire Emoji' (see review HERE) and the Lisbon City to City (see review HERE). 

Definitely time to loosen up and motivate your mind, and your cosmic dream will follow.

BUY LINK: https://jameskumo.bandcamp.com/album/motivate-your-mind-ep

Artist: James Kumo

Title: Motivate Your Mind EP

Release date: 15th August, 2025

Label: Freerange Records

Cat. No: FR308 

Format:  Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Oliver Night – Run Like The River feat. TREV / Reach Out (Tru-Thoughts Recordings)

Definitely time to 'Run Like The River' when it comes to Oliver Night's debut single on Tru-Thoughts.

It's been an exciting couple of weeks for Oliver Night as, first off there was the two remixes on Jerkboy & Marcel Vogel ft. Million Miles 'Real Love' EP on Vogel's Lumberjacks In Hell label (see review HERE) and now he's back on 'home ground' with two tracks on Tru-Thought label.

London's Oliver Night has made a name for himself in the post-Co-Op) house a la 'Run Like The River' featuring the soulful vocals of TREV and "full-on Co-Op Brukwise" 'Reach Out' that's really underground club blow-up brilliant..

Regular readers will know I don't need too much of an excuse to crowbar in the Gerry Hectic's River Stour Remix of Biggabush's 'This River' (see below) but as both are on Tru-Thought's and both mention "river", perhaps Robert Luis will give us a call up?

More likely though is now Night is on the same label as WheelUP (see review HERE), Tru-Thoughts is once again at the dancefloor cutting edge cut up.

BUY LINK: Music | Tru Thoughts

 

Artist: Oliver Night 

Title:  Real Love (Oliver Night Remix)  

Release date: 12th August, 2025 

Label : Tru-Thoughts

Catalog Number : TRUDD675

Format : Digital  / Bandcamp 

Review: Artwork - RED E.P. (Big Apple Records)

What was the first dubstep track? Benga & Coki's 'Night'? An early Skream track? Or could it have been Artwork's 'RED' on BAM001?  Either way, get on this re-issue quick and it's not going to around for long.

If you ever got involved with the early dubstep mania that grew out of Croydon's UKG/techno scene, you may have missed Artwork's debut EP on Big Apple Records as as it came out in 2002!  Clearly a big influence on the in-crowd of the label's other artists, Benga, Coki, Skream, Digital Mystkz as well as the Broken/BRUK daddies, Bugz In The Attic who championed the sound on the Fabriclive CD in 2003.

And who is Artwork?  Arthur Smith! No, not the comedian who lives in Balham, the other one who went onto the be the third wheel in the short lived live 'dubstep supergroup' Magnetic Man with Benga and Skream (I think I saw them at Big Chill one time, lots of flashing lights and some heavy basslines).

So the original release was in important record and has sold for silly prices in the past so here's a repress with a 'new' bonus track, appropriately titled 'Relic' that was retrieved from an old dusty DAT tape.

And, amazingly, it still sounds fresh so don't miss out this time, this only happens every 20 years or so!

BUY LINK:  ARTWORK - Red EP (reissue) Vinyl at Juno Records.

Artist: Artwork

Title: Red EP

Release date: 15th August, 2025

Label: Big Apple Records

Cat. No: BAM001RE

Format: Limited Edition Re Vinyl  / Digital / Bandcamp